


Quarantine Dreams

by FriendLey



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Historical AU, Pepperony Week, Pepperony Week 2020, PepperonyWeek20, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:42:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24893335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriendLey/pseuds/FriendLey
Summary: Pepper has been having some really weird and vivid dreams ever since the quarantine began. Google says it’s normal. But Google never said anything about your dreams invading your waking life. Soulmate AU.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 5
Kudos: 53





	Quarantine Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn’t going to write a soulmate au but I watched The Mummy and I had to do it. So, yeah, this has some The Mummy vibes but still with a twist of its own.

Ever since the quarantine began, Pepper's dreams had become quite vivid.

They had begun normally enough, with her walking down some dimly lit corridor in a sheath dress that looked as if it belonged in an ancient world. She held her head high, back straight and shoulders squared.

In her dreams, she would pass spear-bearing soldiers stationed to guard the stretch of a corridor, sentinels that would make sure she dreamed undisturbed. The corridor led to a wall etched with ancient writings that Pepper couldn't read but felt was familiar.

She had been stuck there every night, looking at the damn wall, trying to figure out what alphabet this was, what language it was written in, and figuring out what was on the other side.

And then as the quarantine stretched out, her dreams had shifted. Pepper saw her dream self turn the knob on the wall, turn it this way and then that, and then the wall gave way, sliding back as this ancient version of herself pushed it open.

It revealed a room, some sort of ancient vault that contained two guards, each standing beside an opened golden chest. Inside it was a bracelet connected to five rings. A golden stone sat on the center while there were stones on each ring that varied in color. One was emerald green, anther ruby red, sun orange, amethyst purple, and sapphire blue. Pepper had never seen stones like that before. Each one pulsed like it was alive.

Then Dream Pepper walked forward and closed the chest.

...

_Virginia closed the chest, concealing the light from the infinity stones within it. She took out the key around her neck; it was a round golden disc with ten rays emanating from it. She placed it on the mouth of the chest where a similarly shaped groove could be found, and rotated the key, locking it. Then she hid the key back under her dress. It felt cool resting safely between her breasts._

_Nobody knew that the key to the stones that could reshape the universe could be found underneath her garments. How could they when no one could touch her, as it was punishable by death to touch or even look upon members of royalty._

_Even her handmaidens looked away whenever she disrobed to bathe._

_And it wasn’t simply because she was untouchable that she guarded the bracelet and its stones. She had fought for this honor, defeated numerous warriors until she stood with bloodied hands as her father, the king, bestowed the title of guardian and keeper upon her._

_She would guard these otherworldly stones with her life and nobody, not even Thanos the Conqueror would claim them._

...

Pepper was sick of the same four walls of her apartment. Sick of the same dreams she kept on seeing every night.

Everytime she closed her eyes, she could even see the imprint of the gemstones behind her eyelids. And sometimes, Pepper would wake at midnight (it was always at midnight) far from her bed, almost as if she herself had been going all over her apartment trying to escape a madman that chased her in her dreams.

Then, she would come to with her hands clenched, remembering that she was running away in the dream with a soldier who swore to protect her.

Her fingers tingled like it missed his touch.

Pepper groaned.

If she didn’t get out of this apartment now, she would go crazy.

So, at 12:37 AM, Pepper put on a jacket on top of her pajamas, slipped on a face mask and then headed up to the roof of her apartment building. It was the only place she could go to after all without putting herself or others at risk of the virus that spread so quickly and claimed the lives of many.

She pushed open the door and felt the cool gush of wind upon the uncovered part of her face. Seeing that she was alone on the roof, she took off her mask and inhaled deeply. Even if she kept her windows open, the air that filtered through her apartment did not compare to the cool fresh air at a high altitude.

The city was dark as the skyscrapers that once lit up the night were no longer operational. Only a select number of buildings had their lights on. The rest of the city’s illumination came from billboards and street lamps.

A thought came to her and not wanting to return to her apartment just yet, Pepper put her mask back on and walked over to one side of the rooftop. Then with her hands free, she lifted herself to sit on top of the parapet, her feet dangling freely.   
...

_It was midnight. Virginia knew it in her bones without having a moon dial to confirm it for her, and for some reason she couldn’t sleep. She rose from her bed and walked out to her terrace. She rested her hands on the parapet which only came up to her hips. She leaned out to survey the courtyard below and then looked directly ahead where her father’s own chambers were situated opposite from hers._

_His curtains were drawn to let the cool air in and she could see him sleeping peacefully._

_She smiled a little at that. He had been preoccupied of late, busy with battle and evacuation plans as Thanos’ army had been spotted beyond their borders and soon he would come. He would come for the stones._

_The Iron Warriors had been alerted, of course. They were already stationed all over the city to protect and facilitate the evacuation of the citizens come dawn._

_Virginia herself would lead them out of the kingdom._

_She had argued against it._

_“I will stay and fight!” she had told her father earlier this morning when he broke the news._

_The king only shook his head and rested a cold hand on her cheek. “You will do no such thing.”_

_Virginia recoiled, angry at the thought of being ordered to abandon her duty. “Is this not what I have been training for my whole life? I can defeat him, you know I can! I can protect us!”_

_“I know. At the risk of your own life, you_ will _be able to destroy him,” her father pointed out to her. “But you are the only thing that is left of your mother and the kingdom cannot risk losing us both.”_

_“Father—”_

_The king held up a hand, silencing her. “That is my final word on the matter. You will leave tomorrow at dawn. You will bring the chest with you.”_

_Virginia had stormed off after that, furious at having been denied what was her right. Didn’t she have the same duty as the king did to defend her people, her kingdom, everything she loved from that tyrant? The same tyrant who took her mother’s life._

_Thinking about it now with a clearer head, Virginia could not fault her father for wanting to protect her. It would not do for both surviving royals to end up getting killed. Who would lead her people?_

_Virginia resumed her vigil over her father, knowing this would be the last time she saw him. He had refused to see her off tomorrow for fear that he would change his mind._

_The door to her father’s chambers slowly opened and Virginia straightened to watch who it was that would dare disturb her father’s sleep._

_It was a man covered from scalp to toe in gold paint. One of the priests from the temple! But why had he come?_

_The priest was focused solely on the king’s sleeping form and did not notice the princess watching him from the opposite terrace. He knelt beside her father’s bed and pressed the palms of his hands together. He bowed solemnly and then he drew a dagger from his robes._

_Virginia started and then she shouted at the guards below._

_“AN ASSASSIN! IN THE KING’S CHAMBERS!”_

_The guards moved quickly but they would not make it, Virginia knew._

_She then watched in horror as the priest lifted the dagger high and then drove it in her father’s chest._

_“NOO!” She screamed and forgetting that she was on the terrace, had leaned over far more than she should and felt herself fall…_

_…_

“NOO!” Pepper cried with arms outstretched and with a jolt, she realized she had fallen from the roof!

They said that your life flashed before your eyes when you had encounters with death. But this wasn’t the case for Pepper.

All she saw was her face nearing the pavement and all she thought was how dare those dreams try to invade her waking life _now_ of all moments!

Pepper shut her eyes, screaming and waiting for her body to hit the ground. Will she even feel it?

She hit the ground faster than she thought she would. And it hurt, almost like she had fallen against a car. The surface was cool, though. And then just as she felt herself descending to her death, she felt herself rising…

Pepper opened her eyes and saw she was some ways above the ground and looked up at the man—if she could call it that—that saved her.

It was human in shape, that much she was certain. Its skin was made of some sort of cool metal, or perhaps it was steel (no wonder she felt like a car had hit her), and he was carrying her up, back to the roof.

It looked humanoid. Like some form or robot. Its eyes glowed in the night, its face totally unreadable, and if it hadn’t saved her, Pepper would’ve been terrified.

It deposited her gently back on the roof and Pepper was able to get a better look at it. That’s when she recognized him. The armored hero.

“Iron Man,” she breathed.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!” Iron Man yelled. If he had nostrils, they would probably be flaring.

Pepper couldn’t help but flinch, caught surprised at the sudden verbal attack.

“PEOPLE ARE DYING AND YOU THOUGHT YOU’D JUMP OFF A BUILDING?”

Pepper felt her courage rise within her. Iron Man or not, who the hell did he think he was to shout at her like this? She shoved him right in those iron pectorals which hurt her palms but she didn’t care. “IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! AND I DIDN’T ASK YOU TO CATCH ME, DID I? YOU COULDN’T JUST MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS?”

“I WAS SAVING YOUR LIFE, LADY!”

“YEAH? WELL, THANK YOU!” Pepper inhaled sharply and her knees suddenly felt weak, having only just processed the fact that she escaped death. She almost buckled over and Iron Man steadied her with both hands.

“Thanks,” Pepper said again, heart hammering in her chest. She took a couple of steps away from him, belatedly remembering that she didn’t know this man and should at least keep a meter’s distance from him. She removed her mask, feeling like she needed more air than it could offer, and faced the Iron Man. His helmet or his face or whatever it was that covered his head retracted to reveal a man.

Her breath caught in her throat. Pepper was sure that this was the same man in her dreams. The soldier.

And from the same look of shock on his face, he recognized her too.

...

_“Princess!”_

_The only thing preventing her from plummeting to her death to the courtyard below was the grip an Iron Warrior had on her ankle._

_He must be one of the guards stationed outside her room and had rushed in when she had first shouted._

_He pulled her back over the terrace and she ended up sprawled on top of him, both of their chests heaving, his from the effort it took to pull her back and hers from fear._

_Her father! Virginia remembered._

_She hastily stood up and said to her savior, “We have to save the king!”_

_The warrior shook his head. “It is too late for that, your highness. We have to go.”_

_Just as he said it, the sound of screams could be heard ringing outside._

_His expression turned grim. “They’re here.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her back inside her room._

_“What?”_

_“Pack only what is essential,” he instructed her, shoving a basket into her hands._

_“He’s here?” Virginia couldn’t move. The conqueror was here? But he wasn’t supposed to be. Not yet! She stood there shock still, not understanding what it was he was asking her to do._

_Then the warrior put his hands on both of her arms and forced her to look at him. “Princess, look at me! The conqueror has come. Far sooner than our spies foresaw. He is not going to stop. He will spill our blood until our rivers run red. So you must flee and as your sworn Iron Warrior, I will protect you.”_

_Virginia looked into his eyes and saw the genuine fear there. But there was also courage. And determination. He would die for her. As was his duty._

_She must do hers. She dropped the basket to the ground and steeled herself. “There is nothing of importance here. We must go to the vault.”_

_It only took them a moment to slip down to the vault and take out the bracelet from its chest. One by one, she pried out the gemstones from its rings and gave each one to a warrior for safekeeping._

_“They are worthless without the bracelet and there would be fewer chances of Thanos getting all of them if we each take one to protect,” she explained. “Besides, I cannot wield them all alone. It would be too much for me to bear.” In fact, it would kill her, but she left that unsaid._

_Her warriors nodded and each left in varying directions. She said a silent prayer that they will succeed and make it to the rendezvous point safely._

_As for herself, Virginia slipped the bracelet over her wrist and the rings over her fingers. The lone golden gemstone on the back of her hand which she had left for herself shone._

_Screams once again erupted and her warrior shifted his feet, in a hurry to fight or flee, Virginia did not know._

_She gave him a small firm nod. Time to go._

_…_

“You!” Iron guy sputtered.

“You!” Pepper said in reply. “You’re real!”

“Of course, I’m real! You, on the other hand.” He ran his armored fingers over his hair, probably a habit. “I’m dreaming right now, aren’t I? I’ve gone crazy.”

Pepper shook her head. “No. Not crazy.”

They both sighed deeply and then stared at each other, studying, trying to figure things out. How was it that they both recognized each other when they’ve never met in real life? Could two people even share dreams?

First things first, though. “How did you find me?” Pepper asked.

“I didn’t. I was feeling cooped up in my house and I didn’t want to go back to sleep because, well, I’ve been having really weird dreams, you know?”

“I know,” she replied dryly.

“Yeah. So, I went out. With the virus spreading, I decided I’d take to the skies. I just happened to pass by here when I heard you scream.”

Pepper nodded. “Well, I’m glad that you did or else I’d be dead. Come to think of it, I should thank you for saving me in my dream too.”

The man laughed at that and then Pepper found herself joining in.

“We’re both not suffering from some kind of hallucinogenic drug, are we?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so, Iron Man.”

He looked down at himself and was surprised to find that he was still wearing the armor. She didn’t know how he did it but the armor suddenly retracted itself into a small thin band on his wrist.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell people that you saw my, uh,” he motioned to his face.

Iron Man was a masked superhero whose identity nobody knew. And yet, because of one fateful scream, she was the only one privy to that information.

“Oh. Absolutely. It’s the least I can do.” Virginia folded her arms across her chest. “Although, we have cameras on the roof.” She pointed them out to him.

He waved it away. “I’ll just delete the footage.”

“That’s illegal.”

“It’s for national security.”

“When you say it like _that..._ ” Virginia then shoved her hands in her jacket pockets, not knowing what to do. She should thank him and go back to her room but… “We’re not supposed to have guests over in here, so I can’t really invite you to my place, but um… would you mind staying up here with me and talking about... this _thing_ between us?”

“Please,” the man said, shoulders dropping in relief. “I’ve been dying to talk to someone about it.”

“I’m Pepper, by the way.”

“Tony.”

…

_“Any news?” Virginia asked the minute the warrior came inside the cave, bearing with him newly filled skeins of water._

_Three of the warriors she had entrusted the gems to had returned and were recuperating outside. But the other two had not yet come._

_The warrior handed her one skein as he said, “Some of Iron Warriors have successfully evacuated the women and children to various settlements. Others are trapped within the city walls. It will take time to escape him. We will stay here for the night. Try to get some rest, your highness. I will stand watch outside.” He turned to go but Virginia grabbed his hand to stop him from leaving._

_She was a warrior princess who wore the soul stone in her hand and yet she could not erase the echoes of her people’s screams in her head or the sight of children slaughtered on the streets._

_She had done the difficult job of leaving her people behind to pursue a higher duty. They would call her brave. A woman of steel._

_But tonight she wanted things to be easy. She did not want to be afraid and she did not want to be alone._

_The warrior was uncomfortable, she could tell, from the way he stiffened and slowly pulled his hand away. Then he dropped to his knees, head bent low. “Your highness, I deserve death.”_

_Virginia was puzzled. “For what?”_

_“In your quarters, I touched you. And I have looked upon your face, looked at you straight in the eyes. I have broken my oath and for that you must kill me.”_

_Virginia shook her head. Of all the blasted things to worry about now. She bid him stand and said, “Then, I release you from your oath and give you back your life. There need not be more blood shed today.”_

_The warrior raised his head in surprise, looked at her and then away like it burnt him to catch her eyes._

_“I should be the one apologizing,” Virginia continued._

_“Your highness?”_

_“I haven’t thanked you for saving my life. I’m sorry it’s taken me this long. Thank you…?” Virginia frowned, not knowing what to call him. “What is your name?”_

_“Antony, your highness.”_

_“Antony, I thank you for breaking your oath to save me. Now, I must ask you to break it once more. I cannot sleep alone tonight. Will you stay inside with me?”_

_This time Antony could not bear to look away from her._

_“I will.”_

…

Pepper and Tony exchanged dream stories and together they discovered that their dreams had started around the same time. Except that her dreams involved guarding the damn bracelet whereas his dreams involved guarding her.

“And then they intersected when you,” Pepper caught herself and rephrased, “I mean Antony, saved my life.”

“Yeah. I don’t get it, though. Why now and what for?” He leaned back against the parapet, crossing his arms across his chest.

Pepper stood a distance away from him, her back against the parapet as well. “I looked it up. Google says that a lot of people are having really vivid dreams during quarantine. Apparently, our brains aren’t being stimulated and so it has a lot of time to come up with weird shit, drawing themes from our past and such. Basically, it’s using our dreams as an outlet.”

Tony snorted. “I didn’t know I needed sex and violence in my sleep. Nice” He caught himself and stammered. “I’m sorry—I didn’t—I feel as if—”

Pepper held out a hand to stop him. She could remember the press of his—Antony’s—lips on hers, her body moulded with his. Her body hummed in memory and she resisted moving closer to this man she only just met. She willed the image from her mind. It wouldn’t do to think of him that way without his consent.

“Please stop. Let’s just agree that we’re both embarrassed about what we’ve seen while we were sleeping.”

“Noted.” Then he did a double take. “Wait. Our brains are drawing themes from our past, you said. You don’t think those dreams are a memory of a past life, do you?”

"Like reincarnation?" Pepper shrugged. "Why not? Aliens. Monsters. The God of Thunder visits every now and then. Why can't our past selves?”

“Alright, let’s say that we _are_ dreaming of our past lives. This means that you were a princess and I was your… sworn protector?” He said it with a cringe like it was the corniest thing to ever come out of his mouth. Which it was if one didn’t know the context.

Pepper motioned to the band on his wrist. “My Iron Warrior.”

He smiled at the reference. “So, does this make us soulmates or something?”

"Or something."

…

_With the use of the reality stone, Virginia managed to successfully conceal her people from Thanos’ army. It wasn’t something she could do for an entire kingdom before—for that one took too much power—but with only a handful of survivors left, she was able to do it._

_They built a village near the Rainbow River. Some hunted and built houses while the others, Virginia included, took care of the children’s education and the keeping of homes._

_It took a while for the people to become used to having royalty so close, their rules still so ingrained within them. The Queen—for that was what she was now—should not weave. She should not cook. She should stay unseen._

_But Virginia had thrown those rules away, including the stupid oaths that she could not be looked upon or touched. Those laws had disappeared along with the sacking of her kingdom._

_One day while the hunters had gone, one of the priestess made a rather bold remark to the Queen._

_“Warrior Antony would make a good husband one day.”_

_Virginia looked at her, wondering where she was getting at. “I suppose.”_

_“It won’t be long before one of the women catches his eye. He’s particularly popular with the widows, you know.”_

_“He is?” Virginia asked, surprised. The priestess gave her a knowing look and Virginia stammered. “Well, he’s a warrior. I—he—everyone wants a warrior for a husband these days. There’s also the fact that he’s a hard worker and a hunter. He’s kind and patient. He’s also quite gentle when he wants to be. The children love him. He’s not displeasing to look at too. I mean, of course the women would find him desirable and would no doubt try their hardest to put a claim on him.”_

_“Then, I suppose you should get right on it before they do.” The priestess winked at her and left, leaving the Queen wondering if she had been tricked to play the old woman’s game._

_And why did the thought of Antony as her husband sound very appealing? Going back to her own home, she found that she could not focus on the reports sent by the warriors guarding the border and was instead entertaining the priestess’ suggestions._

_“Ohhh,” she groaned, getting up to get a cup of water. “Damn old bat.” Yes, Virginia finally admitted to herself. She_ was _attracted to the warrior, that had been very clear to her when she invited him to stay with her that night in the cave. Furthermore, she knew Antony was attracted to her too, if his lingering eyes were anything to go by. But she couldn’t just command him to marry her. It didn’t work that way._

_There was a knock on her door, breaking Virginia from her thoughts, and she sent her silent thanks to the heavens for the distraction. She bid the person enter and found the breath knocked out of her when she came face to face with Antony._

_He had the latest border reports in his hand and was looking quite the temptation for Virginia. His face was flushed from the ride it took to get here and his hair was sticking out in odd directions. She resisted the urge to run her fingers through it and flatten it down._

_“The reports, my Queen.” He handed it to her and she accepted it, finding herself toying with the idea of asking him_ now.

_He spoke some more about the training of new warriors, about how a female soldier named Natalia looked particularly promising. He told her about reports their spies had on Thanos and when he turned to leave, she bid him stay a while._

_Making up her mind, she asked him tentatively, “I would like to ask you something and I want you to speak your mind plainly.”_

_“Of course.”_

_“I am a Queen.”_

_“Yes.”_

_“Without a husband.”_

_He blinked. “I see.”_

_“And I would like to know your thoughts on helping me...”_

_“Helping you?” He repeated, a hint of curiosity in his face._

_“Helping me lead the people, keep them safe,” Virginia clarified. “Counseling me and staying with me… in this house.”_

_Antony licked his lips and nodded. “What else would you require of me?” The look in his eyes told her he knew very much what his duty entailed but that he wanted her to say it out loud._

_“Serving me… but not as your queen.” Virginia took a step forward and boldly touched his hand. “But as your wife.”_

_“And making you happy?” Antony added, threading his fingers through hers, sending a jolt of excitement through her._

_“Yes.”_

_“And giving you children?”_

_Virginia laughed and let him bring his other hand to cup her face. “Yes.”_

_“How many?” he asked, his mouth a breath away from hers._

_“Well, one isn’t a bad number to begin with.”_

...

They parted on the roof that night after exchanging contact details.

“Not that I want to pick up where our past selves left off but—”

“If you talk to anyone else about this, they’ll think we’re crazy?” Pepper finished for him.

Tony grinned. “Exactly.”

He rose to his feet and tapped the band on his wrist, the armor slowly formed around his body.

He really _is_ an Iron Warrior, Pepper thought before putting the mask back on her face.

The helmet closed around Tony’s face and she saw only the glowing slits of eyes.

“Tony?”

His voice was different now. Robotic. “Yeah?”

“I’m glad you flew by.”

“Same here.”

“Maybe I’ll see you again after this quarantine is over.”

He scoffed playfully. “In your dreams.”

And then he was off.

…

_Thanos, who had not ceased hunting them for five years, had come to collect. He was angry at the Queen, angry that she had outsmarted him, furious that she had managed to hide all six gemstones for this long._

_And Virginia knew there would be no escaping him now. She had grown complacent over the years. A mistake that she will now have to pay._

_As Thanos’ army advanced upon her village, all six stones glowed bright on Virginia’s hand, ready to do their mistress’ bidding._

_“VIRGINIA, NO!” Her husband grabbed her arm in a tight grip. “It will kill you! Let me do it.”_

_Her father’s words from long ago echoed in her head. ‘_ At the risk of your own life, you _will_ be able to destroy him.’

 _Virginia shook her head and turned to face him, eyes welling up with tears at the duty she must finally fulfill. “This is_ my _burden to bear. You have protected me for this long. Loved me. Gave me our daughter. It is my turn, my love. I must do this.”_

_She pushed him away with all her strength._

_She did not look at Thanos when she snapped her fingers. She looked at Antony and could only feel him, not the energy coursing through her body._

_“I love you.”_

…

Pepper woke up at midnight in a cold sweat. The spot where she lay on the bed was damp and her clothes stuck to her skin. Her right hand ached, like she had slept on it for hours, but she knew that it was hurting due a different reason.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat, elbows on her knees, head in her hands. That was the first time she had dreamed _that_ dream. She wondered, eyes turning to the phone at her bedside table, if Tony dreamed the same thing.

Should she call him?

She shook her head.

He wasn’t her husband. She shouldn’t have Virginia’s emotions confused with her own… But it was becoming increasingly difficult not to, to draw a line where Virginia ended and Pepper began.

Pepper got up and changed her clothes. Then, she changed the sheets of her bed and went to the kitchen for a glass of cold water.

She looked at the clock. 1:01 AM.

Should she go back to sleep?

Suddenly, her phone rang and Pepper dashed to her bedroom and picked it up. “Tony?”

“I’m here.”

Pepper immediately felt comforted by those two words. How did he know she needed him? “You dreamed it too, didn’t you? I wanted to call you but I didn’t want to disturb—”

“Pepper, I’m _here._ ”

Pepper looked up at the ceiling. “You mean here _here?_ At the roof?”

“Can you come up? I need to see you,” he choked out. “I need… I need to see you’re alive.”

Pepper’s breathing hitched. He was clearly more shaken than she was and who wouldn’t be? Not for the first time, she tried to imagine the dreams from his perspective. What had he seen?

“I’ll be right there.”

Slipping on a mask, she went up to the roof to meet him. She swung the door open and there he was, his suit looking a little worse for wear.

She halted where she stood. “What happened to you?”

He looked down at his suit. “Oh. I just came from handling a fire. I was on the flight home, dozing on autopilot, when I saw you die… I had to see you.”

Pepper nodded, understanding. She took a few steps closer to him but he shook his head. “Don’t. I haven’t disinfected the suit yet.”

Pepper stilled. “You okay, though?”

Tony chuckled. “ _You’re_ the one who died and you’re asking _me_ if I’m okay?”

“I’m not dead,” she pointed out to him. “I mean, I felt it.” Virginia looked at her hand and then back at him. “It’s weird, but my arm hurt when I woke up. I didn’t see anything after I died. Did you?”

“I held you.” He said. “You looked burnt to a crisp. Our daughter was crying. I didn’t want her to see but I didn’t have the strength to push her away.”

Pepper closed her eyes. She didn’t see any of that because her past self was already dead. She had yet to decide if it was a good thing. She opened her eyes which were beginning to well up with tears.

“I wish I could hold you,” he said, finally looking up to meet her eyes. “Just to… feel you alive and breathing, you know?”

Virginia shook her head. “We can’t. Not until there’s a vaccine. If only I had a suit then I could comfort you.”

Tony suddenly looked up, lips curling upwards. “Who says you can’t have one?”

“What?”

“I’ll make you one.” The grin on his face grew bigger.

Virginia gaped at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“Why not? I’m Iron Man.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, Iron Man, I’m a civilian, I can’t just wear a suit because you thought I could have one.”

“It’s for national security. Well, _my_ security, anyway.”

She shook her head at his nonsense. “That’s not how this works.”

“Still acting like you can queen me around, I see.”

“That’s not—”

“Don’t worry. I won’t even weaponize it. It’s only for cuddles.”

“Since when were you and I ever even on that level?”

“Oh, honey, have you forgotten already? We’re soulmates.” He fired up his suit, drowning out Pepper’s reply. “We’ve been on that level since the ancient times.”

Pepper rolled her eyes good naturedly. She had to admit that the thoughts of wearing a suit, holding him, maybe even taking to the skies together were enough to make her mouth water.

“You complete me,” Iron Man’s robotic voice said, and then he was off.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't write this from Tony’s POV because I just don’t know enough about ancient history to write it using an ancient warrior’s perspective. I hope you all enjoyed this one, at least!


End file.
